National Groundwater Assessment Initiative
The $50 million National Groundwater Assessment Initiative is the centrepiece of the Groundwater Action Plan, and is funding hydrogeological investigations to help overcome critical groundwater knowledge gaps.
There are eight priority investment themes:
- Harmonisation of groundwater definitions and standards, and improved governance and management practices
- Northern Australia Groundwater Stocktake
- National assessment of sites suitable for managed aquifer recharge and recovery
- Vulnerability of groundwater dependent ecosystems
- Investigation of groundwater-surface water inter-connectivity
- Strategic aquifer characterisation to quantify sustainable yields
- National review of groundwater potential for deep fresh, saline and brackish waters
- Managing risks to groundwater quality
Harmonisation of groundwater definitions and standards, and improved governance and management practices
1A. Definitions, data standards and exchange protocols
This theme aims to harmonise groundwater definitions, measurement standards and data exchange protocols so that national assessments can be undertaken with more confidence and aquifers can be managed more readily.
1B. Improved governance and management practices of Australia's groundwater resources
This theme is examining legislative and management frameworks to facilitate better outcomes for groundwater.
Northern Australia Groundwater Stocktake
Covering a region including all the Northern Territory, and the Timor Sea, Gulf of Carpentaria, and North-East Coast (north of the Burdekin basin) drainage divisions, this theme is collating and documenting current groundwater data and understanding. Projects will identify critical knowledge gaps and systematically acquire new data sets in Northern Australia.
National assessment of sites suitable for managed aquifer recharge and recovery
This theme is assessing wastewater and/or stormwater sources and geological conditions for suitability for managed aquifer recharge (MAR). Projects will focus on larger-scale MAR activities, rather than local parkland schemes, and will deliver improved prospects for aquifer storage recovery throughout Australia, especially in major urban areas.
Vulnerability of groundwater dependent ecosystems
This theme assesses the vulnerability of ecosystems that depend on groundwater to threats from aquifer and surface-water management activities and from other influences such as climate change. Projects will develop the knowledge needed to inform decisions about the future of these ecosystems.
Investigation of groundwater-surface water inter-connectivity
Building on work being undertaken in the Mapping Potential Surface water/Groundwater Connectivity across Australia project, projects under this theme are measuring connectivity in up to 20 additional catchments where there are high risks of double counting and double allocation.
Strategic aquifer characterisation to quantify sustainable yields
Projects under this theme will obtain scientifically credible information about groundwater resources, including the interception effects and groundwater use of plantation forestry, and the cumulative effects of mining on aquifers and surfaces waters.
National review of groundwater potential for deep fresh, saline and brackish waters
This theme is funding an assessment of information on deep groundwater resources from seismic and drill records held in state geo-technical agencies and the private sector. The deep groundwater data will be added to the Bureau of Meteorology's Australian Water Resources Information System to complement the surface and shallow groundwater data already being collected.
Managing risks to groundwater quality
The focus is on the contamination and remediation issues arising from activities relevant to the NWI, and projects will establish the extent of these threats as well as remediation options.